


No One Ese, The Epilogue.

by lilized



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Actually not Unrequited Love, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M, Pining, SEP era, The sequel/epilogue to my comic with ufficiosulretro that no one asked for, You can read it as a stand alone but why would you?, fantasy vague medicine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-04
Packaged: 2019-07-25 03:42:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16189343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilized/pseuds/lilized
Summary: There was a two in three chances that Jack was dead; his brain supplied him with that information with its usual efficiency.And odds were that even if he wasn’t dead, he very well could be soon.A rough day in S.E.P leads Gabriel and Jack to reconsider what they know.





	No One Ese, The Epilogue.

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to fully appreciate this fic you're supposed to read this comic : 
> 
> http://ufficiosulretro.tumblr.com/post/169739479462/reaper76week-day-1-war-buddies-day-1-day
> 
> And this soft Nsfw bonus : 
> 
> http://ufficiosulretro.tumblr.com/post/178635344147/ufficiosulretro-here-they-are-the
> 
> Please, do. Irene's art is way better than this thing I made. I decided the story with her and then I ruined it with my words. UGH. Well, here it is. I hope it's not totally terrible.

 

 

Gabriel let out a long sigh that almost sounded like a moan after emerging from the communal showers. The hot water had helped soothe his muscles that had ached from the workout and the last round of injections, and feeling them finally loosen up was a huge relief. Hence the borderline pornographic sound of relief.

He opened his eyes to find a young recruit watching him with their eyes hooded and mouth parted. They withered under Gabe’s death glare, their cheeks turned pinker and disappeared around the corner, making for their lockers. A wise choice, Gabe thought.

Gabriel walked to the mirrors and wiped away the fog from it; he almost jumped out of his skin when he saw Daniela Sanchez behind him, staring like she was a ghost.

 

“ _ Jesus fu- _ ! Wear a bell, Dani, would you?”

 

He slowed down his racing heartbeat and grabbed the comb he left there and checked his hair into the mirror. They were coming along very nicely if Gabriel could say so himself. It was nice after two years of buzzcuts to have his soft hair back. 

 

“Thought you said you were starving and could not wait for me to waste an hour checking myself in the mirror.” He swiped his hair to the left and theatrically turned his head a couple of times just to annoy her “So why aren’t you in the mess hall?” 

She didn’t look amused in the slightest, and that worried Gabriel and made him turned to face her. It wasn’t like Daniela to pass on banter.

 

“I did go.” She was worried, visibly so. “Have you seen Jack today?” Gabriel could almost feel his blood slowly chilling.

 

“No. Why?”

 

Daniela bit her lip. She had noticed Gabe abrupt change of attitude “Could be nothing.” 

 

“What could be nothing?”

 

She ran her hand over her mouth and met his eyes “Don’t freak out but…”

Gabriel gritted his teeth, freaking out, predictably, by her the stupidest way to start a sentence ever

 

“I heard the afternoon treatment was a rough one. They have two dead and one in critical condition.” 

 

Gabe didn’t have to ask which group was due for treatment this afternoon; he made a point to memorize Jack’s schedule since he was the one who brought him abroad. 

If he tried to shuffle his own to spend more time with his former subordinate that was his own business. 

 

“I have to go.”

 

He put on a shirt and fatigues and stormed out of the locker room without bothering to grab the rest of his stuff or let Daniela get a word in.

People gave him odd looks in the corridors and Gabe could see why. He had made his best effort to make himself known throughout S.E.P. ranks because of his unflinching composure, and now he was running barefooted, with his hair still damp towards Jack’s room like a crazy person.

 

He tried to tell himself it would be fine. 

 

Jack was probably just tired and was napping after the procedure, it wasn’t at all unusual, on the contrary doctors sometimes advised it. Gabriel will barrel into his room, and Jack will startle, ask what he knew about this groundbreaking concept called knocking but Gabe will be able to tell he’s actually pleased to see him.

Because Gabriel had not been very subtle in his efforts to put some distance between them and he had not missed Jack’s kicked-puppy looks. 

 

He tried to tell himself it would be fine, but Gabriel had never been an optimist.

He held his breath when he punched the code of the room marked “76”, the door retreaded and Gabe's heart stopped.

Jack’s room was fastidiously tidy, his bed made, his desk clear except for the digital photo frame that slowly scrolled through pictures of his family back on the farm and one of him and his little brother riding a horse, for which Gabe had teased him relentlessly.

 

There was a two in three chances that Jack was dead; his brain supplied him with that information with its usual efficiency.

And odds were that even if he wasn’t dead, he very well could be soon.

 

Instead of making him spiral even more, the thought filled him with eerie solemn tranquility. 

He felt detached as he made his way to the medical wing to find out if he signed the death warrant of the man he loved.

It was such a small thing to admit to himself now, in the shadow of this possibility, that seemed so silly he had fought it for so long. 

 

He could see them all now as if it were a terrible movie. All the flinches and winces every time he asked Gabe to grab a drink with him or hang out after training or invited Gabriel back into his room and Gabriel shot him down with a stony expression and just barely polite line. 

Gabe had tried to make sure Jack got the message that while he thought the world of him as a soldier, and could not wait to have him watch his six on a mission, the night between them before Jack had joined S.E.P was a lapse of judgment that Gabe did not intend to repeat.

It had all felt perfect back then, in the dark and in the light of dawn. They had burned and laughed and clung to each other. Gabriel had felt at peace, a sensation like he hadn’t in years.

 

But in the harsh light of the day, despite their friends' triumphant support, Gabriel had seen what a huge mistake he had made.

Sure, soon Jack would get into S.E.P and not be under his command anymore, but he would always be his responsibility. Jack wouldn’t be into a dangerous secret military program if it weren’t for him, he’d be back with his family, on his fucking farm, in fucking Indiana. 

 

He had to regain perspective. He had to keep him safe; they didn’t have time for giggling romance.

 

Jack had taken it in stride, at first, like he had expected Gabe to have an existential crisis over their encounter. He had teased and joked, trying to coax Gabriel into giving in. 

When it became apparent that Gabriel considered him only a loyal friend though, Jack had started to give him these longing pained looks when he thought Gabriel couldn’t see it. 

 

It had been an exercise in self-restraint, but he knew it was for the best. But now...now it felt like some cruel deity had plucked this scenario straight from his nightmares; Gabe had failed, and now Jack was dead or dying. And it was all his fault.

  
  


* * *

 

 

The first thing Jack became aware of was the smell; the telltale scent of a sterile room. The second thing was the beeping sound of the EKG hovering over him, and when he finally managed to open his eyes a little bit, he saw the translucent display and the bright lines describing his vitals. 

He decided to give his throat a try even if it felt like it was on fire.

 

“Ugh,” was about all it came out.

 

“Take it easy, Seventy-six,” the doctor said. Jack could almost keep his eyes open now, so he could take in the medical wing of the S.E.P base and the woman tapping on her tablet, standing at the feet of his bed. 

 

“You’re a very lucky young man, Morrison,”  the woman - Wei?- said. Yes, Doctor Wei, he recalled as the fog receded from his mind.

 

“I don’t feel very lucky right now, doc,” he rasped. 

 

“Try,” Doctor Wei sighed and put away her tablet looking at him with somber dark eyes. “You’re the only one of your group to have positively responded to the last treatment.”

 

Jack’s throat closed up “The others…?” While he could admit he had been shadowing Gabe since he signed on S.E.P, that hadn’t stopped him from making friends with a bunch of other people, especially new recruits like him. 

 

“For most of them, the procedure was ineffective and produced no visible result one way or the other. They will be dismissed from the program.” 

 

Well, that wasn’t so bad, Jack thought. Hopefully, no horrible side-effects will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

 

“Seventy-three and Seventy-nine didn’t make it.” 

 

Jack shut his eyes and exhaled a shaky breath.  _ That  _ was pretty bad.

 

He hadn’t bonded with Seventy-three yet. He knew his name was Andre Miller; he was a reserved, quiet guy, couldn’t be a couple of years older than Jack. He could always be seen reading on his off time, and Jack had meant to sit down with him one day and ask him what book it was. He was bitter about it and guiltily grateful because he bet this would be harder had they been friends. It certainly was in Seventy-nine case, whom Jack had connected with.

 

Hellen Kirkpatrick was one of the older soldiers in the program, almost thirty-eight; she had been from Iowa, and they had bonded over being raised on a farm and how vicious chickens were. She patted him on the head and showed him and everyone willing to stay still more than five seconds the latest pictures her husband sent of their baby.

 

Gabe had warned him, but this was the first time someone actually died because of the procedure. 

 

“I’m sorry.” Doctor Wei held her tablet close. “Press the button if you need anything, I have to finish my rounds. Don’t try to get up just yet.” 

 

Jack nodded not trusting his voice not to crack. When she disappeared behind the door, he rubbed his eyes. He held up his arm looking at where the needle pierced his arm. 

 

Jack remembered the flames rising from the skyscrapers and the sounds of the omnics firing in the streets.

 

He’ll survive. It will be worth it. It will just have to be.

 

Jack drifted back to sleep without noticing; as he heard the door open again he almost thought he had slept after all and doctor Wei was back for him as she promised.

 

Except it wasn’t.

 

Gabriel barged into the room, all wild eyes and mussed up hair. 

 

“Hey,” Jack tried his best to go for a nonchalant tone, he was trying to rein in the most obvious displays of his pathetic pining. Nothing said dumb boy scout like falling for the guy who so very clearly just meant their night together to be a one-time thing. And being friends with Gabe was already pretty amazing, asking for more seemed unreasonably greedy. 

 

Gabriel didn’t answer at first, he just stared at Jack, his chest heaved in quick shallow breaths.

 

“Gabe, you okay?” 

 

Gabriel made a strangled noise.

 

“Am  _ I _ okay?” He leaned on the bed frame at Jack’s feet like he would sag on the floor otherwise, but when he snapped his head up to look at Jack his eyes were ablaze “You almost  _ died _ !”

 

A spark of hope – that maybe there was more to Gabe’s apparent change of heart after that night after all – was hesitantly rekindled by Gabriel’s blatant worry for Jack’s life. He flashed Gabe a cheeky smile.

 

“Told you I’m a lucky guy,” he said. There. The reference and overture could not have been more explicit. Well, Jack supposed he could go down on his knees and beg, maybe even write a piece of paper that said ‘do you like me yes or no’ but he did have some dignity left, somewhere.

 

Gabe’s nostril flared, and he took a visible, long, deep breath and Jack knew he had fucked up egregiously.

 

“Yes,” Gabriel admitted, “You told me.” His lips thinned until they almost disappeared before he continued “But see, Jack, it’s the nature of luck to run out.” He walked calmly to the side of Jack’s bed “And it’s my fault you’re here.”

 

Jack blinked at Gabriel’s sudden mood change “What?” 

 

“I was the one who did not think this through, okay? I admit it!” Gabriel lowered his head “I abused the influence I had on you because I thought I knew what was better for you, and I’m sorry. But I’ll fix it.” He promised, putting one hand on Jack’s shoulder “You tell me what you need to pack and I’ll have your things ready for when you get out of here.”

 

“What are you talking about? I’m not leaving.”

 

“Of course you are.”

 

“No. I’m not.”

 

“Jack.” Gabriel’s voice was stern and firm; it made Jack feel like he was being scolded like a toddler. He clutched the sheets in his fists and gritted his teeth trying not to let his temper snap. “Before I stepped in you were about to go back, finish college. You don’t belong here, you’re just here ‘cause you’ll think it’ll get you another shot at getting into my pants, and I assure you, it won’t.” Gabriel’s eyes were so very cold “Go home.”

 

Jack didn’t know what was worse, how his face went completely red for the humiliation or how his chest hurt because of the heartbreak. Who was he kidding, the heart thing was definitely more painful.

He took a second to remember how to breathe, his anger that had been simmering until at Gabriel’s patronizing tone had been frozen over by the man’s last words. Jack smacked away Gabriel’s hand from his shoulder and pinned him with a prideful stare 

 

“I know you don’t return my feelings, and that’s fine. I know that…” He swallowed past the knot in his throat “...that night meant something to me that it didn’t to you, but you don’t get to speak to me this way. I’m not some desperate fool who’s stalking you through a secret military program. I’m a soldier, I’m here to save lives, and the only way I’m leaving here is if they kick me out or in a body bag.” 

 

“Jack…” And if he hadn’t known better, he’d thought Gabe’s voice just cracked “Please, I’m your friend, I just want– ”

 

“I thought you were my friend too.” And that hurt more than the romantic rejection if it were possible. “But you’re clearly not.” Jack dropped his head and ordered his eyes to stop stinging “You should go, Gabe.” 

 

“I agree.” Dr. Wei stood at the side of the door, her arms inviting Gabriel not so gently to leave the premise. “They told me you were about to storm the castle and here you are, Reyes, upsetting my patient. I will ask you nicely to comply with Morrison’s request before I make it an order.” 

 

Gabriel’s jaw clenched and it almost seemed like he was about to open his mouth and protest before he spun around and got out of the room with a grumbled: “Yes, ma’am.”

 

After that having his heart stomped on at day one, Jack figured his time in medical could only go downhill. At first, it appeared like he was right, the first forty-eight hours were boring, he finished two books and slept a lot. Things started to go sideways on day three.

 

Obviously, Jack didn’t remember not waking up; there was only a lot of pain, a lot of trashing, blinding lights above him and animated voices speaking Doctor. 

He lost track of time. Every time he swam in and out of consciousness he could not say how long he had been out, could have been minutes, could have been days. He never was conscious for long anyway.

 

Then, one time, it felt more real. His senses eased him gently and steady into the world, and the pain was muted. 

 

“...the best friend I ever had.” A voice was saying; Jack would have known that smooth voice anywhere. “I was a stubborn asshole, and if you wake up, I’ll hold very still and quiet for however long you want to scream at me.”

 

Was this heaven? Was Jack dead? Jack always thought heaven would be pain-free, it seemed kinda implied in his mom’s priest’s sermons.

 

“There are so many things I want to ask you. Like...what does the F. stands for? Do you know how to drive a tractor?” There was a self-deprecating laugh at his own attempt at humor before Gabriel continued in a lower voice “There’s so much I have to tell you.” Calloused fingers trailed in his hair, and Jack would have purred if he knew how. “That night…” The petting stopped, and Jack felt Gabe cupping Jack’s hand into his two own. He felt the next words breathed on his skin “That night meant everything to me. I should’ve never let you believe otherwise.”

 

Jack’s eyes finally obeyed and shot open. 

 

Gabe made a tragic, beautiful picture, like a penitent confessing his sins. “But I wanted to protect you, because I love you…” Gabe what? How much morphine did Dr. Wei give him? “...and I went about it completely the wrong way because – and I can’t stress this enough – I’m an asshole. That’s something you really should know about me. But I realized it eventually, so I guess that has to be worth something.” 

 

Jack couldn’t help the choked sound it escaped from him at, you know, the love confession, no biggie. He saw Gabriel snap his head up and quickly close his eyes again.

 

Whatever this was he did not want it to stop, dream, heaven or drug-fueled hallucinations, he was going to bask into Gabriel Reyes’ love – love! – until the end of fucking times.

 

“Are...are you awake?”

 

_ Fuck. _

 

“No.” 

 

Jack re-opened his eyes reluctantly, but Gabriel was still there looking at him like he was the best thing on earth since sliced bread. He stifled a laugh; it sounded wet like he just stopped crying.

 

“So you’re a bit of an asshole too, but I knew that.”

 

Jack smiled and snatched Gabriel’s hand back into his. “Is this real? Am I dreaming?” He may have slurred a bit. 

 

“It’s real,” Gabe swore seriously.

 

“That’s what you would say if you weren’t though.” Jack pouted.

 

“I’ll tell you again when you’re more lucid; I’ll tell you every day if I have to.”

 

“I’m lucid,” He protested, because he was. Almost completely. Like at least 78% lucid. “Gabe…” He brushed his cheeks.  _ He could do that now! _

Near death experiences were  _ awesome _ . 

 

“Gabe, if we’re going to be friends we have to be a team. No more ‘I have to protect you’ bullshit.”

 

“Weren’t you listening? I don’t want to be your friend.” Gabriel’s grasped Jack fingers almost too tightly.

 

“Oh,” Jack answered in a small voice. Maybe he was less lucid than he thought if he had misinterpreted thing so badly?

 

His spiral was interrupted by the soft touch of Gabriel’s lips on his. 

 

Heaven had nothing on this, even with the agonizing pain.

 

“ _ Ooh _ .” Jack smiled goofily, and Gabriel chuckled before kissing him again.

 

“The F. stands for Francis, by the way, how did you not know that? It’s on my tag!” 

 

Gabriel’s belly laugh was music to Jack’s ears, and while Gabe proceeded picture out loud all sorts of ideas to torture him with this newfound knowledge, he did so kissing thoroughly.

Jack had never been so glad to be mocked for his middle name than he was that day.

  
  



End file.
